Aimee and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Summary

Aimee recounts a particularly challenging day in her life, grappling with mental health struggles, parenting demands, and a series of stressful events, including a car accident involving her mother and potential COVID-19 exposure.

Abstract

Aimee, a writer who often addresses mental health in her work, faces a day filled with emotional turmoil and stress. She is dealing with the challenges of unrelenting parenthood during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is exacerbating her depression and anxiety. Despite her coping mechanisms, such as writing and working out, Aimee struggles to manage her feelings. Her day is further complicated by a series of unfortunate events: her fear of small rodents is triggered when her cat corners a chipmunk, her daughter interrupts her therapy session, and she receives news of her mother's car accident. The day takes a turn for the worse when she discovers that three new baby chicks have died due to improper temperature regulation, and she learns of potential COVID-19 exposure. Aimee's husband provides some relief by helping with the day's crises, and her doctor reassures her about her low risk of contracting COVID-19.

Opinions

Aimee values her therapy sessions but feels frustrated when they are disrupted by her daughter.
She expresses a strong aversion to small rodents, preferring the company of a large dog over small animals like chipmunks.
Aimee acknowledges her self-awareness and honesty in dealing with her emotions, which surprises even her therapist.
She is worried about her mother's driving abilities after her mother's car accident, indicating concern for her mother's safety and well-being.
Aimee feels overwhelmed by the demands of parenthood and the lack of breaks or personal time, which impacts her mental health.
She is resourceful in finding ways to maintain her sanity, such as allowing her daughter to watch YouTube in exchange for some quiet time.
Aimee's husband is seen as a source of support and perspective during her challenging day.
The potential COVID-19 exposure adds to her already fragile mental state, but she takes comfort in her doctor's reassurance and the fact that she has not shown any symptoms.

Aimee and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Covid19 and life are trying to break me. They nearly did yesterday

I struggle with depression and anxiety. I’m currently struggling with unrelenting parenthood, void of breaks and distractions. I would like a babysitter and a break. A night out without attention demands and needs to be met. I would like to have a therapy appointment without my daughter trying to show my therapist how she can do a tik tok dance. I would like to speak openly. Monday, my daughter prevented me from speaking at therapy, the entire appointment. Tuesday, my husband and I had therapy together and I made sure she was entertained so that he could have some breakthroughs. His breakthroughs, I think were big. And I felt emotional and unable to express my own emotions. I woke up Wed. feeling unsteady, emotional, and depressed.

My eyes opened to an unwelcome fragile emotional feeling. My therapist asked how I deal with my feelings Monday. I told her I write and I workout. I told her I practice avoidance. She laughed. I don’t think she anticipated my honesty or my self-awareness. I’m a writer. I often write about mental health.

I went downstairs and started writing. Not about my current state of emotions, but a writing prompt I failed to write the day before. I completed the task, turned in the writing, and went back to feeling vulnerable.

As my son was coming into the kitchen from the laundry room, he caught one of my kittens with a cornered chipmunk. I am terrified of small rodents. Terrified. I don’t like squirrels, mice, rabbits or chipmunks. I’d rather have a growling rottweiler in the house. My son closed the door to the laundry room so it could not escape into the house and I set off looking for murder cat.

The murder cat was sleeping outside. She must have had a big night of hunting. After my son tried to dispatch the chipmunk on his own. We locked the murder cat in with the chipmunk. She stayed in there quietly until she started scratching on the door. We let her out hoping, she’d done her job. But no, the chipmunk outsmarted her or stayed well hidden. Maybe she just wasn’t bloodthirsty.

My already frazzled nerves and emotions were worse. So I convinced my daughter to come upstairs and snuggle with me so I could relax. We make deals for my sanity I allow her to watch insipid YouTube channels. She’s happy, I’m calm. Whatever keeps you sane, right? As we were getting ready to climb into bed, my husband calls from work asking if I’d spoken with my mom. I had not. And he casually informs me she was in a car accident. She’s not hurt, but My anxiety skyrockets. My mother’s driving had been worrisome for me after my stroke. I started to worry that this was a sign she should not be driving. Sigh.

While I spoke with my husband my daughter picked up one of our brand new, day-old baby chickens. She asked why it was just flopping there. I thought she was holding it upside down. As distracted as I was, I didn’t pay too close attention and demanded she put it back. Later, when I looked inside where the chickens were contained, I saw the problem. It was dead. The two others did not look good. Tiny baby chicks have a hard time regulating body temperature. They must be kept between 90 and 100 degrees. With the heat yesterday, even with the air conditioning running, I worried they’d gotten too hot with a heat lamp. I unplugged it and messaged my husband letting him know the chickens were dead. He was already on his way home, knowing I’d had enough for the day.

Thankfully, I saved one of the baby chicks. My husband got the chipmunk out and my mom was okay. I was hanging on by a thread when he made it home.

I received a text on my phone during dinner. I was probably exposed to Covid19 when I took my son to get his license. The Secretary of State branch that we attended was shut down due to covid19 exposure. I wanted to throw my hands in the air and scream. I checked the date we went and messaged my doctor to see if I needed a test. I was on the 14th day. I wore a Mask and stayed physically far away from people. My son and I both used hand sanitizer on the way out. No symptoms. Plus, I am immune-compromised and she believes I would have had symptoms sooner. She is not worried. I’m in the clear we believe.

My already fragile mental state has had enough. I’m hanging on by a thread right now. Thankfully, my husband brought some perspective his morning. “Your day has to go better today, at least.” True. Thank goodness he was able to come home and give my sanity a break.